one of the mutineers, while the blood of
innocent victims was scarcely washed from his hands, much less the
guilty stain from his soul.

[A] A large hook used when hoisting in the blubber.

Feb. 7th. These twenty-four hours commenced with thick squally
weather. Middle part clear and fine weather.--Hove to at 2 A. M., and
at 6 made sail, and steered W. by S. At 1/2 past 8 made an Island ahead,
one of the Kingsmill groupe. Stood in with the land and received a
number of canoes along side, the natives in them however having
nothing to sell us but a few beads of their own manufacture. We saw
some cocoanut, and other trees upon the shore, and discovered many of
the natives upon the beach, and some dogs. The principal food of these
Islanders is, a kind of bread fruit, which they pound very fine and
mix it with fish.

Feb. 8. Commences squally with fresh breezes from the
northward.--Took a departure from Kingsmill Island; one of the groupe
of that name, in Lat. 1 deg. 27' N. and Long. 175 deg. 14' E. In the morning
passed through the channel between Marshall's and Gilbert's Islands;
luffed to and despatched a boat to Marshall's Island, but did not
land, as the natives appeared hostile, and those who swam off to the
boat, endeavoured to steal from her. When about to leave, a volley of
musketry was discharged at them, which probably killed or wounded some
of them. The boat then gave chase to a canoe, paddled by two of the
natives, which were fired upon when within gunshot, when they
immediately ceased paddling; and on the boat approaching them,
discovered that one of the natives was wounded. In the most
supplicating manner they held up a jacket, manufactured from a kind of
flag, and some beads, being all they possessed, giving their inhuman
pursuers to understand, that all should be theirs if they would spare
their lives! The wounded native laid down in the bottom of the boat,
and from his convulsed frame and trembling lip, no doubt remained but
that the wound was mortal. The boat then returned on board and we made
sail for the Mulgrave Islands. Here was another sacrifice; an innocent
child of nature shot down, merely to gratify the most wanton and
unprovoked cruelty, which could possibly possess the heart of man. The
unpolished savage, a stranger to the more tender sympathies of the
human heart, which are cultivated and enjoyed by civilized nations,
nurtures in his bosom a flame of revenge, which only the blood of
thos